CEDAR BOWL

This is a late wedding/Christmas gift for a coworker. She had used 2 pcs of Cedar in her wedding as display props. She gave them to me and I wanted to make her something special.

The 4th picture is what happened to the first piece I turned. I love the rustic and raw look. So the wood had some cracks and bug holes I wanted to keep. Well, just in case you did not know, when you finish turning a piece of wood that has cracks in it and turn your lathe up to a high rate of speed to finish it, it can EXPLODE! I have a few nice bruises to prove it. Luckily, that was the worst of it for me. However it did take a chunk out of the ceiling and the wall.

I do feel like I have been “officially” initiated into the turning club now – LOL

So out came the 2nd piece. Learning from my first mistake, I finished it off the lathe with some toungue oil and wax.

You did a nice job on the second one.Turning an end grain center cut like that will always be a hazard and 8 times out of 10 they will eventually develop cracks (even after they are finished); especially if they are not completely dry. I would expect over time that this one will crack. I see two or three places in the wood grain that are just waiting for an excuse to do it…...

One effective way to hold pieces together when you notice cracks forming during the turning process is to fill them with medium or thick super glue (as early as possible). Put plenty in the crack and let it seep in, adding more as it sinks down. Let the piece set for several hours so the glue hardens. As you continue the turning watch for more cracks or that you have cut through the glue you put in and need to add more. Often I will first fill larger cracks with the fine shavings from the piece then add the glue. The end result is a crack repair that matches the rest of the wood.If you catch cracks as they just start you can stop them with the glue and then cut through and past them into clean wood. With very fine cracks I put the thin glue on and then a little medium. The thicker glue seems to seep in better with the thin glue “primer”.

Thanks Dust_Maker.I sincerely appreciate you letting me know that this is not cedar. I was told it was Cedar. After I posted this, I started looking at it better and wondered. I am not sure if it is oak or something else. But it was a great learning experience all around.Thank you for the kind words.

The polished end grain is beautiful in this bowl. Good work. By the way, I think that piece of “cedar” came from an oak tree.

Les,It is hard to see, but some of the cracks I had filled with the glue & wood shaving concoction. I love that trick. I will have to try the other glue ‘trick’ next time. Thanks for the input!!

You did a nice job on the second one.Turning an end grain center cut like that will always be a hazard and 8 times out of 10 they will eventually develop cracks (even after they are finished); especially if they are not completely dry. I would expect over time that this one will crack. I see two or three places in the wood grain that are just waiting for an excuse to do it…...

One effective way to hold pieces together when you notice cracks forming during the turning process is to fill them with medium or thick super glue (as early as possible). Put plenty in the crack and let it seep in, adding more as it sinks down. Let the piece set for several hours so the glue hardens. As you continue the turning watch for more cracks or that you have cut through the glue you put in and need to add more. Often I will first fill larger cracks with the fine shavings from the piece then add the glue. The end result is a crack repair that matches the rest of the wood.If you catch cracks as they just start you can stop them with the glue and then cut through and past them into clean wood. With very fine cracks I put the thin glue on and then a little medium. The thicker glue seems to seep in better with the thin glue “primer”.